Timing device



Jan. 30, 1923. 1,443,573 H, HlNCKLEY.

TI 5 DEVICE. FILED LY 27, 1922. 2 SHEETS'SHEET 1 Jan. 30, 1923. r 1,443,573

H. HINCKLEY.

TIMING DEVICE. Fl LED JULY 27, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

UNITED STATES HOWARD HINCKLEY, OI WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 01 COLUMBIA.

TIMING DEVICE.

Application filed July 27,

I1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HowAnn I'IINCKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residingat \Vashington, District of Columbia, have invcnted certain new and useful Improveinents in Timing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suclras will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

The invention relates to a new and useful device for indicating intervals of time by means of two miscible elements contained in a receptacle, which slowly separate at a predetermined rate, by reason of the difference in. specific gravity between the elements, one of which latter is a liquid and the other or which is, preferably, a solid in a state. oi fine subdivision, which is readily miscible with the liquid upon agitation, and which slowly sinks in the liquid upon standing, the receptacle havingassociated therewith a scale indicating time elements graduated according to the rate oi settlement or sedinicntation oi' the heavier elements.

Two simple and effective "terms of the device are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which, i

Fig. i is a sectional elevation;

Fig. 2 an elevation showing thelower part of the enclosing casing brolren away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation ot the container or receptacle;

his: is a plan VlEW,

is a side elevation of the modified the apparatus is a se ctional elevation of the con- ,l ig. tamer; v Fig. 'i' is a sectional plan view on line 7, 7 c1?- Fig.5. a

Fig, 8 is a sectional elevation of he agn tatinp" device,

Re erring to Figs. 1 to l of the drawings, 1 indicates a tube of glass, celluloid or other transparent material having a closed top and open bottom closed by a cork or other sealing element 2, said tube being nearly filled with two elements, which are readily miscible upon agitation, but which slowly separate upon standing, due to the d fference in specific gravity between the elements. In the preferred form of the invention, one of the elements 3 is a liquid, such as water, alcohol, or if desired, a mixture of non-separable liquids, which, like alcohol,

does not freeze at ordinary temperatures,

1922. Serial No. 577,811.

and a solid element 4 in a state of relativel tine sub-division or comminution, which 15 readily miscible with the liquid, but which combinations of liquid and solid elements will form an intimate clouded admixture upon agitation, but upon bein allowed .to stand quietly, the solid materials will radually sink in the liquid so that the atter clears from the top downward, and a sharp line of demarcation between the clear-and clouded portions of the liquid will-move progressively down in the liquid according to the rate of settlement or sedimentation. of the solid.

has been found that the rate ofsuch sedimentation is uniform and regular for a given liquid and a given solid, so that, if the receptacle be provided with a scale or other indicia arranged longitudinally thereof, the scale may be calibrated to indicate time intervals by the rate or" settlement of the heavier material in the container, as shown by the line of demarcation between the clear liquid and the clouded admixture of liquid and solid. Having determined the rate of settlement of the solid and a given admixture, the time scale may be prepared and applied, either directly to the container 1, or preferabiy, to an enclosing casing 9, made of metal or the like, into which the receptacle 1 fits and is sealed in place by cement or the like at the top and bottom. The casing 9 is provided with a foot-piece 10, by means of which it is secured in upright position on a su port, and in order to give a clear view or the contents of the receptacle 1, and to display the line of demarcation between the clear and clouded portions of the liquid, the casing 9 is provided with sight openings 11 on each side. A time interval scale is preferably formed on. the casing, as indicated at 12; in the particular instance shown, the time intervals being one half-hour, one hour, and two hours, respectively. It will be understood that the time scale may be still further subdivided, and also that the two miscible and separable elements in the container may be so selected as to provide for either a more. rapid, or a slower, rate of settlement of the l the clear liquid element. Such a device is represented by the float -5 of cork or the like, which is suitably weighted by an agitating element comprising a stem 6 with a coiled base portion 7 and a spiral screw section 8 at its upper end, by means of which it is attached to the float. When the two elements within the container are thor-. oughly admixed, the float 5 will. rise to the top of the liquid dolumn, and as the solid material 4 gradually settles, the float will follow the settling solid material, so that the top or bottom edge of the float will con-. stitute a travelling index co-operating with the scale markings on the tube 9; and there.-

by indicate the successive time intervals required in the settlement of the solid material. The Weighting element associated with the float also serves as an effective device for thoroughly agitating and admixing the liquid and solid contents of the receptacle when the latter is agitated.

In the'modification shown inFigs. 5 to 8 inclusive the transparent. container comprises a vertical member 1 and a horizontal member 1 connected therewith, the open ends of the. T-shaped container being closed by suitable sealing elements 2, to re tain the .body of liquid 6' and the miscible solid 4:.

The container is enclosed in a suitable casing 9 having two lateral sight openings 11 and a base 10 by means of which the device may be mounted upon and secured to a suitable support, as for example the mud guard or radiator of an automobile.

Located in the-horizontal section 1" of the" container and slidable longitudinally therein is a tubular element 151 of glass or the like having open ends surrounded by flanges and closed by suitable stoppers16', said element containing a body of mercury or the like 17 The purpose of the slidable element 15. is to effect a thorough agitation and mixture of the liquid and solid contents of the receptacle, and it will be noted that inasmuch as the sedimentation of the solid takes place on and about the agitating device 15 any movement of. the latter willstir up the sediment and cause the same to mix with the clear liquid in the vertlcal member 1 of the container. It will be noted.

that the element 15' is in effect a loosely sliding piston of somewhat smaller diameter than'the lower section of the container and container.

- on the sediment, forcin the latter back and forth in the liquid an causing a. thorough admixture of the solid'and'liquid elements. In order to accelerate the admixing of the solid and liquid constituents of the container there is provided a float 5 carrying a pendant rod 6 having a, coiled base portion 7, so that any agitation of the vertical column of fiuid will ca se the float to rise and fall, and the mixin device, formed by the coiled member 7 on the end of the rod 6', to still further, agitate and stir up the solid material. 1

This particular form of the device is especially adapted for used in connection with automobiles and it is preferably'secured to one of the mud guards, which is subjected 'to-vib'ration suflicient to keep the solid and liquid contents in a condition of thorough thereby agitating the solid material which had prevlously settled. in the bottom of the This agitation and admixture will be continued by the normal vibration of the car which would cause the float 5 to move up. and down carrying with it the mixing device 7. When the car is brought to a stop or any sudden change in the speed or motion thereof is brought 'about, the

mixing device 15 will be shifted in the chamber 1" of the container, so that a thorough admixture of the elements within the container would be maintained so long as the vehicle is in motion. As soon as it stops, however, sedimentation of the solid material immediately begins and the rate of sedimentation will indicate the passing of definite time intervals, precisely as in. the

case of the former device heretofore. de-

5' normally remains at the top of the liquid column where it is constantly subjected to scribed. In this particulardevice the float an oscillation of [the liquid surface due to A the normal vibration of the car. In this case thetime intervals would be indicated by a line of demarcation betweenth'e clear and clouded portions ofthe liquid, which willshow throughthe sight openings 11', 11 in the case 9', which latter isprovided with a time scale 12.

The device may be variously employed for indicating the passage oftime, but it is particularly adapted for use in connection with automobiles and the like, especially when the latter are subject to parking limitations fordefinite periods-0f time, When the device is attached. to a mudguard or.

other suitable portion of 'an' automobile, which subject to vibration, when the machine is in operation, the liquid and solid contents of the receptacle will be kept in agitation and maintained in a condition of thorough admixture, so that the liquid will appear clouded throughout, and, if the float or cork indicator is employed therewith, the said indicator will remain at the top of the liquid column in the receptacle. When the vehicle is brought to rest, however, the process of sedimentation or settling of the solid material will immediately begin, and the time which the vehicle has been allowed to stand will be accuratelyindicated on the time scale by the line of demarcation between the clear and clouded portions of the liquid, or by the position of the float 5 which follows this line of demarcation in the tube, in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

What I claim is:

l. A timing device comprising a receptacle; two miscible elements of difierent specific gravities, one of which at least is a liquid, therein which automatically separate upon standing; and time interval indicia associated with said receptacle to show the time by the rate of settling of the heavier element.

2. A timing device comprising a receptacle; two miscible elements therein, one of which is a liquid, which separate by gravity upon standing; and a scale associated with said receptacle to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the heavier element.

3. A timing device comprising a receptacle; a liquid and a comminuted solid which separate by sedimentation of the solid therein; and a scale associated with said receptacle to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the solid.

4. A timing device comprising a sealed receptacle; a liquid and a comminuted solid which separate by sedimentation by the solid therein; and a scale associated with said receptacle to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the solid.

A timing device comprising 'a. sealed glass tube; a liquid and a comminuted solid therein; anda casing having a sight opening enclosing said receptacle and having a scale thereon to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the solid.

7. A timing device comprising a. sealed.

receptacle; a liquid and a comminuted solid which separate by sedimentation of the solid therein; a casing having a sight opening enclosing said receptacle and having a scale thereon to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the solid; a float in said receptacle and an agitating device carried by said float.

.8. A timing device comprising a receptacle, separate by sedimentation of the solid therein, a movable agitating. device in the bottom of said receptacle, and a scale associated with said receptacle to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the solid.

9. A timing device comprising a receptacle including a vertical section and a transverse bottom section, a liquid and a comminuted solid which separate by sedimentation of the solid therein, a movable agitatin device in the bottom of said receptacle, an a scale associated with said receptacle to ina liquid and a comminuted solid which dicate'ti-me intervals by the rate of settling of the solid. I v 10. A timing device comprising a glass receptacle including a vertical section and a transverse bottom section, a liquid and a comminuted solid which separate by sedimentation of the solid therein a piston like agitator slidable in the bottom section, and a scale associated with said receptacle to indicate time intervals by the rate of settling of the solid.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

. HOWARD HINO EY. 

